Let's Make a Deal

A High Cost

   Michael came back first.

   He appeared in the middle of the room, looking much more composed than he had been when arguing with Lucifer. He tugged on his bow tie, brushed his hair into place and then turned toward their booth. Lucifer narrowed his gaze distrustfully at his twin as he made his way over toward the two of them, left hand tucked behind his back and the other hanging at his side. When he reached the two of them, Michael set his focus on Lucifer only. "I want to talk to you before we continue this again." His eyes darted briefly toward Alastor before returning to him. "Alone, obviously."

   This didn't sound like a good idea. If anything, it sounded like an absolutely terrible idea. Yet, he knows that he has to. Not because he owes this person a single thing, but because of the reason he's up here. Lucifer's entire goal is to make them understand that they're not above the Sinners in Hell if they continue what they are doing. If talking to Michael can help accomplish that, he should try. Hopefully without it turning into what it constantly was so far. Raised voices and harsh words thrown at each other.

   Nodding his head at his brother, Lucifer turned and looked up to Alastor. "I will be right back."

   This did not seem to please the Radio Demon. His own gaze darted toward Michael, narrowing slightly as he tried to seemingly read into whatever it was the Archangel wanted from him. When he couldn't seem to figure it out, he focused back on Lucifer. "I don't trust him." He states, openly and without a single bit of shame. Yeah, he understood that, he didn't trust Michael either.

   The Archangel himself snorted at that and placed his right hand on his hip, raising his eyebrows at Alastor. "Yes, of course, because you're so much more trustworthy."

   "Compared to you?" Alastor threw back, twisting an amused smirk onto his face. "I absolutely am. I at least am always direct in what I want, and I give my victims a chance to run for their lives."

   "Oh, how merciful of you." Turning dismissively away from Alastor he nodded his head at Lucifer. "Sometime this century, if you wouldn't mind. Even with the clock paused, none of us actually want to be stuck in here for an entire day." This at least is something he does agree with, Lucifer doesn't like being away from Hell for as long as he has been and even more so, he doesn't want to be up here for an unprecedented amount of time. Eventually, he does actually want to go home.

   Huh.

    He actually misses Hell.

   Considering the fact he's never actually been able to leave his own domain, he never had to experience the feeling of being away from it. Over the countless centuries he's been down there, he thought there was nothing he hated more than being trapped down there. Sure, he knew he didn't want to be back up here, but he never thought he wanted to be down there either. Yet, now being up here, he realizes that's not true. Hell was suffering, it was the place meant to be a cage that he made his own, that he got to have Charlie, that he's started spending actual time in with Alastor and it's become something more to him. It's become a place that he's actually comfortable being in.

   It's become his home and he misses his home. His daughter, the Hotel, the Palace, the paperwork, the time he got to have with Alastor. Playing music with him, laying in bed together, sitting in silence while he slogs through damning amounts of paperwork that the other sorts through for him. He misses sitting in that bayou and drinking coffee with Alastor while the Radio Demon played whatever Jazz music he was feeling at that moment.

   He wants to go home.

   "Fine. But you only get thirty minutes."

   Lucifer moved around Alastor, gently touching his wrist as he passed him and stepped out of the booth. He fell in step beside Michael and followed alongside his twin to the double doors of the meeting room. Michael pulled one open and held it for Lucifer, allowing him to step around him out into the hallway. When his brother joined him he motioned for him to follow him down the left side, deeper into the courthouse and past a few doors. It's been far too long since he was up here that he had honestly no idea where Michael was taking him. He did search around as they moved, for a sign of a trap or something else. Anything that explained what this was.